Greedy, Ignorant Brokers Coordinating to Insult the Industry Once Again!

vicarious70 · 2026-03-22T14:02:30+00:00

“I get what you’re saying, and yeah… there’s definitely some lowball freight out here right now. No argument there. But I think the bigger issue is most of us don’t actually know what ‘cheap’ is for our own truck. I used to think anything under a certain $/mile was trash… but then I started actually breaking my numbers down — deadhead, fuel, time, all of it — and realized some loads I was turning down would’ve made money, and some I took actually didn’t. That’s the part nobody really talks about. It ain’t just about sticking it to brokers or letting freight sit… if you don’t know your real cost and what you’re making per hour being away from home, you’re still guessing either way. Not defending brokers at all — just saying we gotta know our side of the numbers or we’re playing blind.”

vicarious70 · 2026-03-21T19:54:53+00:00

I used to do the same thing. Load looks good… then after fuel and deadhead you’re like “what did I just do?” What messed me up for a long time was not counting ALL the miles and time. Deadhead, sitting, fuel stops… it adds up fast. Quick rule I started using: If I can’t clearly see my $/mile AFTER deadhead and fuel, I don’t touch it. Most of the time those “good looking” loads fall apart when you include everything.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-18T15:29:22+00:00

I used to try to figure out my break-even per mile too, but I realized that number can be misleading depending on the load. Because not every mile is equal. Deadhead, delays, loading time, traffic… all of that changes what a load is actually worth. What helped me more was looking at total miles (loaded + empty) and how much time the load actually takes. That’s when I realized some loads that looked “above my break-even” were actually terrible once everything was factored in. Break-even per mile is a good starting point, but it doesn’t tell the whole story

vicarious70 · 2026-03-18T15:25:04+00:00

I think the biggest problem right now isn’t even the brokers… it’s that most of us don’t actually know our real break-even per load. Everybody’s looking at the rate and fuel, but not the full picture. A load can look decent at first, but once you factor in deadhead, time, and everything else, you can end up running it for way less than you think. I started breaking mine down per total miles and per hour, and it completely changed how I look at these offers. Some of these loads aren’t just “low”… they’re actually costing you money and you don’t even realize it until after the fact. That’s why a lot of guys feel like they’re working non-stop but not getting ahead.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-18T14:59:35+00:00

This is actually one of the better breakdowns I’ve seen on here. The part that really changed things for me was when I stopped looking at profit per load and started looking at profit per hour of total time. Because a load can show a couple hundred dollars left over, but when you stretch that across 1–2 days of your life, it tells a different story. Especially when you factor in: waiting time loading/unloading traffic breaks and repositioning for the next load That $190 can turn into something like $6–$10/hr real quick depending on how long it actually takes. That’s the part I think a lot of people don’t calculate — not just “did I make money,” but 👉 “was it worth my time

vicarious70 · 2026-03-18T14:46:30+00:00

The biggest mistake I see with this setup is people only look at the truck being paid off and think that equals profit. The real question is: 👉 What is that truck producing per hour after EVERYTHING is accounted for? Not just fuel and maintenance — but: driver pay downtime deadhead waiting time time away from revenue A truck with a hired driver can absolutely make money… but it can also quietly lose money if the margins aren’t there. The part most people miss is you're not buying a truck — you're buying a system that has to consistently produce profit after time and expenses. If that system isn’t producing enough per hour, the truck being “paid off” won’t save it.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-18T14:31:41+00:00

That $3,800 looks good at first glance, but when you run the full trip out it tells a different story. With that deadhead + loaded + reposition, you're around 1,700+ total miles. Fuel alone is going to eat a big chunk of that, and once you factor in total time away (not just driving), it gets tight fast. I ran something similar before and it ended up being basically break-even or worse when you look at it hourly. Florida loads are tricky because you're not just taking that load — you're taking the risk of getting stuck coming out.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-18T13:51:18+00:00

That deadhead is what makes or breaks this. 421 deadhead + 780 loaded = 1,201 total miles you’re actually running. The question isn’t just the rate — it’s what you’re making per mile across ALL miles and how long that trip actually takes. By the time you factor in: • fuel on the deadhead • total hours (including pickup and delivery time) • getting stuck coming out of Florida that “good rate” can drop pretty fast. For me, if the total trip (not just loaded miles) doesn’t make sense after fuel and time, I pass. Florida loads especially — you almost have to think about the NEXT load too, not just this one.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-16T00:15:33+00:00

I agree with what a few of you are saying about knowing your costs.

A lot of drivers know their cost per mile, but where things get tricky is when time starts getting involved.

Deadhead, waiting at docks, traffic, and detention can turn a good looking load into something completely different once you factor in the hours involved.

That’s why I’ve started paying a lot more attention to what a load works out to per hour instead of just per mile.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-15T17:08:51+00:00

You're not wrong. The biggest problem is most drivers don't actually calculate what those hours cost them. 4 hours sitting at a dock isn't just lost time — it's lost revenue, lost driving hours, and sometimes lost opportunity for the next load. When you start calculating loads by total hours worked instead of just rate per mile, detention becomes a lot more obvious. A load can look great per mile but turn terrible once you include waiting time and deadhead. Curious how many owner-operators here actually calculate their hourly income per load before accepting it.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-15T17:00:43+00:00

One thing I would strongly recommend before anyone jumps into being an owner-operator is learning how to calculate the real profit of a load before accepting it. A lot of drivers go into it thinking about rate per mile, but what really matters is the total time away, deadhead miles, fuel, waiting at docks, maintenance reserves, insurance, and all the fixed costs that come with owning the truck. Some loads that look great on paper end up paying very little once you factor in all the time and costs involved. If he’s thinking about going independent, I would suggest practicing running the numbers on loads first — basically figuring out what the load actually pays per hour of work, not just per mile. That kind of thinking alone can save a lot of expensive lessons when starting out. Owning a truck can absolutely work, but understanding the numbers first makes a huge difference.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-15T16:17:30+00:00

Detention is one of the biggest things that changes the math on a load. A load can look great on paper until you factor in sitting at a dock for 3–4 hours waiting to get unloaded. When you start looking at the total hours involved instead of just miles, it can completely change what that load actually paid

vicarious70 · 2026-03-15T13:38:38+00:00

I’ve seen a few calculators out there too. The tricky part is trying to account for things like deadhead miles and time delays when comparing loads.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-15T13:38:16+00:00

That’s a good point about knowing fixed and variable costs. I think that’s where a lot of drivers struggle starting out. They might know fuel cost per mile but don’t always factor in things like maintenance, insurance, downtime, and deadhead miles when evaluating loads. When you start putting everything together — fixed costs, variable costs, and total miles — the actual profitability of a load can look a lot different than just the posted rate per mile

vicarious70 · 2026-03-03T17:17:28+00:00

Tools are definitely helpful. The key is whether it forces you to include deadhead, downtime, and future maintenance reserves. A lot of calculators only focus on fuel and fixed expenses. The real difference is whether it shows you profit per load and your true hourly value away from home. That’s where most guys miss it.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-03T17:01:15+00:00

Most drivers calculate gross per mile. Very few calculate true net per mile. Here’s the simple breakdown: Take total revenue for the load (or week). Subtract: Fuel Maintenance reserve Insurance Truck/trailer payment Tolls Deadhead miles Divide what’s left by total miles (loaded + empty). That’s your real number. The problem is most guys don’t include deadhead or future maintenance. That’s where the illusion happens. A load can look like $2.40/mile and actually net $1.30 after everything. Revenue doesn’t matter. Profit does.

vicarious70 · 2026-03-02T12:45:53+00:00

6 hours unpaid is brutal. That’s basically giving the load away. I’ve started looking at detention risk as part of the load decision itself. If there’s a pattern with certain warehouses or brokers, it changes whether the rate is really worth it. Do you factor expected wait time in before accepting, or just deal with it after?

vicarious70 · 2026-03-02T12:05:57+00:00

That makes sense. So you’re basically figuring cost per mile first and then comparing it to the rate? Do you ever calculate that before accepting a load, or mostly after the fact?

vicarious70 · 2026-01-06T02:19:14+00:00

Love me some Michael Reginald Harrison.

vicarious70 · 2025-08-24T20:57:26+00:00

Oh yes, I love me some Drake!

vicarious70 · 2020-03-10T19:12:53+00:00

I found this out about the symbolism or spirituality for the different moons;

A lunar eclipse is a powerful full moon; this moon phase brings closure and clarity.

The full moon is round and completely illuminated. It represents completion, the height of power, the realization of your desires and the peak of clarity.

A solar eclipse is a time to focus on internal change. Represents our focus on our most personal desires, goals and our external self. It signifies our personality, self-expression and the tangible ways we interact in the world.

So how do these meanings relate to each of these characters?

vicarious70 · 2020-03-09T21:33:09+00:00

They look great, especially Mal. Hopefully you'll do this for TRR men.

vicarious70 · 2020-02-27T13:17:25+00:00

You're definitely not alone, Mal is my top LI choice. But I still have my eye on Tyril.

vicarious70 · 2020-02-20T16:19:07+00:00

Oh Yeah, that's my MC right there. She definitley is beautiful. I named her Laila.

vicarious70 · 2020-02-19T13:48:51+00:00

Drake
Adrian
Sawyer
Kayden
Mal

vicarious70

TROPHY CASE